ON AIR: Ssaagala AgalamiddePresenter: D Kasasa / B Lubega / S Mumanya

SALARY EARNERS TO CONTRIBUTE UGX 500 TO HIV FUND

Members of Parliament on the HIV Parliamentary Committee are proposing for a cut from every salary earning Ugandan towards the support of the HIV Trust Fund.

Apparently the committee is scrutinizing the Aids Trust Fund meant to create a separate fund from the Ministry of Health budget to address the HIV epidemic in the country.

Recently, Cabinet approved a proposal to allocate two per cent (2%) of collections from taxes on alcoholic and soft beverages to finance the Aids Trust Fund (ATF).

The woman Member of Parliament for Mbale district Connie Nakayenze Galiwango proposes that every salary earning person should be convinced to contribute a minimum of 500 shillings every month towards the trust fund.

A total of 7 billion shillings is expected to be raised in the new financial from taxes on spirits and soft beers as an initial fund.

The annual budget for HIV/Aids and Tuberculosis drugs stands at 90 billion shillings which the civil society organizations have already asked government to double to 180 billion shillings for a meaningful support to the initiative.